This invention relates to a bed, in particular a bed suitable for use in hospitals, nursing homes and the like, in those cases in which the user is obliged, for illness or other reasons, to remain lying for a considerable time.
It is well known that persons who for medical reasons are obliged to remain in bed for a considerable time are subject to the formation of painful sores (bed sores) caused by prolonged pressure on limited regions of the body.
Various methods are already known for preventing the formation of these sores on patients compelled to remain in bed for a considerable time.
One of these methods comprises placing a mattress below the patient and used an apparatus comprising a double series of flexible tubes arranged to be alternating with each other.
These flexible tubes are formed by gluding two sheets of flexible plastics material to each other in a suitable manner to form a mattress having the thickness of a usual beach bed. The two series of tubes can be alternately inflated and deflated by a suitable electrically driven pump.
This method does not eliminate the problems which arise for a patient during a long period in bed. In this respect the patient is always in contact with the mattress and even the alternate deflating of the two series of flexible tubes does not result in the separation of the patient's body from the mattress, but merely reduces the pressure on that part of the body above the tubes from which the air has been removed.
Furthermore, the tube inflation (or deflation) extends over the entire surface of the mattress and it is not possible to limit this action to a chosen limited region thereof.